


What Could Have Been

by redqueenoctavia



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-21
Updated: 2017-12-16
Packaged: 2019-01-28 17:04:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12611272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/redqueenoctavia/pseuds/redqueenoctavia
Summary: What if the reapers hadn't attacked during the hostage exchange? What if Lincoln and Octavia had been able to get away? This is what could have been. (2x02 AU)





	1. Part I

The night was almost completely pitch-black as they limped together through the woods.

She had just rescued him from his people’s hold by doing a prisoner exchange with Lincoln’s friend and Trikru’s only healer. Nyko was Lincoln’s best friend and had saved her life just a few hours before, but she’d had to hold him hostage.

What other choice had she had? This had been her only chance of getting the man she loved back. Lincoln’s people had been torturing him, preparing him for his execution… And, even though she’d managed to save him, he was still wounded and exhausted.

“There’s a stream up ahead,” Lincoln informed her.

Sure enough, they found the river bank a few feet away and Octavia helped Lincoln sit up against a tree, so she could tend to his injuries.

Octavia limped toward the river. She tore a piece of her own shirt off and dunk it in the cool water.

Returning to Lincoln’s side, she set about the task of cleaning his wounds.

He winced slightly at the touch.

“Sorry,” she said with a grimace. “Well, the good news is I don't think you'll need stitches.”

“Sit down,” Lincoln told her. “You're still hurt.”

She hushed him gently. “It's my turn to take care of you.”

Lincoln closed his eyes and leaned his head against the tree, smiling. Then, he frowned deeply.

“You should've run,” he murmured. “You shouldn’t have come back for me.”

“Sure,” she mocked, exasperated. “I should have left you behind to be tortured _again_ and then be slowly and painfully executed… Yeah, right.” Then, she added seriously, “I've already lost too much. I'm not losing you, too.”

_You're all I have left. I’ll die if anything happens to you._

She didn’t said it out loud, and she didn’t need to. The two of them knew it to be true, on both sides.

While she treating his beaten flesh, her mind raced. They were clear for now, but the danger could return at any moment. The grounders might be coming after them anytime and God knew neither of them were in a position to fight them off.

Octavia looked at their surroundings, as if she feared a sudden assault.

“We should probably get going.”

“You can barely walk,” he said.

“Yeah, you're not looking so great either right now, smartass.”

“We should lay low, just for tonight. I know a place.”

** *** **

Lincoln and Octavia arrived at their overnight hideout almost an hour later.

It was a neatly hidden cave located in the middle of the woods.

“Another cave?” she said with amusement, as they entering the place, supporting each other’s limping forms. “What is it with you and caves?“

He chuckled.

“We’ll be safe here for the night,” he told her. He set his bag down and started to make a small fire to keep them warm. “Get some sleep. We need to move early tomorrow and we’ve still got a lot of ground to cover before we get to Luna.”

“You should rest, too. When was the last time you got _any_ sleep?”

Lincoln wasn’t sure. He only knew it had been before he had been supposed to leave with Octavia, before the battle, before the near end of their relationship.

 “I haven't slept in like three days,” she went on. “I'm not sure I even remember what it feels like. Well, that's if you don't count the few hours I was out cold from the poison.”

“How’s your leg?”

“Fine,” Octavia answered quickly.

He shot her a serious glance.

“Hurts,” she revised. “but I’m okay.”

Octavia sat on the ground of the spacious cave. Lincoln joined her soon after.

“Do you still remember the words?”

“Honestly?” she asked with a pained expression. She’d completely forgotten them with the whole mess they’d found themselves in. She only remembered it was something about seeking safe passage…

Lincoln laughed and nodded. “Okay, don’t worry. I got you.”

He held her close and she leaned into him.

“Yeah, you do.”

At peace, her mind veered toward another direction.

_Bellamy._

She’d physically left him behind mid-battle, and after Lincoln’s capture by the Grounders, she was ashamed to admit that part of her mind and her heart had left him behind as well.

The brother who’d cared for her her entire life, who had sacrificed himself so she could safely get away for the war, her only remaining family, her own flesh and blood… She’d abandoned him, _twice_.

The tears began to well up in her eyes.

After a moment of silence, she spoke, “He’s probably dead, isn’t he?”

Lincoln didn’t have to ask who she was talking about, he knew what – or rather who – was in her heavy heart. They’d left Bellamy in the battle between their people. Skaikru’s changes of winning or even surviving this particular battle were very slim. They were all likely dead by now…

He didn’t know what to say, so instead, he just held her tighter as she cried for her lost brother.

** *** **

They walked slowly toward their destination, too tired to hurry.

To ease the boredom of the long trip and to get their minds off the lingering pain of their injuries, Octavia tried to make small talk.

“So… is Luna nice?”

She knew nothing about her soon to be host.

“She can be,” was Lincoln’s only response. Deep down, he knew Luna was a kind soul, but, if wronged, she could be cold and ruthless like no one else he knew.

Before Octavia could question him further, he looked up and smiled.

“We’re almost there. Can you smell it?”

She sniffed the air and frowned.

“Yeah. What is it?”

He gave her a huge grin. “The sea.”

They picked up their pace slightly, until they arrived to the stony shore.

There were large rocks placed together to form statues, but there wasn’t a sign of a living person here. There was nothing but rocks and more rocks here… Had Lincoln lost his mind?

“Is this it?” she asked him.

Lincoln looked at her baffled expression and smiled.

“Not yet.”

Working quickly and expertly, he made a fire.

Octavia watched with avid curiosity as Lincoln collected a kind of small herb from nearby bushes. Then, he tossed the herbs into the fire.

Her eyes widened with amazement as she watched the orange fire and the smoke that came from it suddenly become green.

“It’s a signal,” Lincoln explained.

They didn’t have to wait long for something to happen. Only half an hour after Lincoln had lit the beacon, they saw the small waves coming their way and a group of six people emerging from the water. They seemed to be wearing swimming gear.

The leader of this group removed his mask. He recognized Lincoln at once.

“ _Linkon_. ***1** ” The two men greeted, holding each other’s right arm and briefly hugging. “ _Monin hou, ai lukot_. ***2** ”

The grounder turned his attention to Octavia, who was getting more nervous by the minute, looking at her with a puzzled look. She’d unconsciously taken a step back, standing partially behind Lincoln.

He took her hand and held it tightly.

“ _Osir ogeda_ ***3** ,” he told his friend. And, taking the opportunity that Octavia didn’t understand his native language yet, he added, “ _Em laik ai niron_ ***4** _._ ”

It felt wonderful to finally say the words out loud. She was his love, his everything. He hadn’t had the courage to tell her yet how much he loved her. Their relationship was still so new. But one day…

The other man nodded. “ _Kei_ ***5**.”

He retrieved a brown pouch from his suit. He opened it to reveal six vials of a green liquid. Taking one of the vials, he handed it to Octavia.

Lincoln took the vial from him and gave it to her himself. “It’s okay. Trust me.”

The man delivered another vial. It was for Lincoln this time.

“You’ll want to sit down for this.”

He sat down and she followed suit.

“What is this?” she whispered.

“They don’t want anyone to know the way, so we’re going to take a little nap and wake up on the other side,” he said. “On the count of three?”

Octavia nodded. “One…”

“Two…”

“Three…”

She closed her eyes and drank the liquid in one big gulp, as Lincoln did the same.

Quickly the world around them started to spin and lose focus, and everything turned to black.

** *** **

When Octavia finally came to, she was laying down an old couch.

She managed to keep her eyes open and looked around, trying to locate Lincoln. She finally spotted him talking to a young woman with wild hair. She’d seen her face before – in Lincoln’s book, where he kept all of his drawings. It was Luna.

Octavia tried to lift herself up, but she was still under the effect of the drug and the drowsiness wouldn’t allow her to stay vertical. She let herself fall back on the couch and closed her eyes.

“Lincoln?” she mumbled sleepily.

He looked in her direction and hurried toward her.

“I’m here.” Lincoln crouched down beside her, wincing slightly as he did. “You took quite a nap.”

She mustered the energy to smile up at him.

“How long have you been awake?” she asked.

“Long enough,” he told her. Lincoln looked over at Luna as she slowly approached them. “I already explained the situation to our host. Octavia, this is Luna. Luna, Octavia.”

The other woman stopped next to the couch where she lay and gave her a gentle smile.

“Welcome to _Floukru_ , Octavia.”

“Ah, thanks.”

She held her hand up, silently begging Lincoln to help her up. Thankfully, he could read her like no one else. Taking her hand, he carefully pulled her upward, so she sat up on the couch.

“Lincoln told me everything you’ve been through. I’m sorry for all your turmoil,” Luna told Octavia. “I’ll have someone prepare a room for you.”

Luna left and shortly after, a man showed up and said something in the grounder’s native language.

Lincoln turned to her and helped her stand.

“Come on.”

The man lead them through a series of straight, metallic hallways. Octavia and Lincoln supported each other while they limped through their way into what would be their room.

They people they passed by would stare at them and whisper amongst each other. They were the new arrivals, so she supposed they warranted some curiosity or even suspicion by the locals. Not to mention the fact that they looked like hell... That probably didn’t help either.

The grounder stopped in front of a door and opened it for them.

Octavia stepped inside slowly, taking in her – _their_ – room.

“ _Mochof_ ***6** ,” Lincoln told the other man before following her.

The room was fairly large, decorated with pretty plants, furs, scraps of metal and wood, skulls of animals and lit candles – she supposed it was a kind of grounder decor. The place was complete with a bed for two, a couple of tables, and a…

“Oh my God.” The words escaped her lips before she could help them.

In front of her, there was a big bathtub, steam rising from it. Octavia almost moaned at the sight of it.

Lincoln closed the door and joined her, placing his hands at her waist.

He smirked. “How about a bath?”

Octavia answered him by taking off her jacket and marching slowly toward the tub. Her wounded leg was all that prevented her from going any faster.

Lincoln chuckled and went to help her remove her boots, then her jeans. Octavia removed her tank top and sat on the tub’s edge. She turned her body and slowly sank into the hot water. She _did_ moan when the water hit her battered body – her sore muscles and bruised skin complained for a minute before relaxing.

She let herself go under completely before surfacing again. When she did, Lincoln was staring at her with a loving expression.

“How are you?”

“Fine,” she said, then revised, feeling the amazing heat surrounding her, “Better than fine. I’m starting to feel human again.”

“Mind if I join you?”

He held up a bar of soap.

Octavia pretended to consider, then she giggled and scooted to the front of the tub so he could get in behind her.

Once he was inside, Octavia settled back and nestled again. Lincoln wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled her neck. Both of them sighed, feeling the relief of their newfound safety for the first time. They’d made it.

Lincoln soaked the piece of green soap he held and rubbed it gently against Octavia’s wet skin. He washed her body, her hair. Gentle and sweet, yet seductive and arousing.

She took the bar of soap from his hands and turned around.

Octavia smirked.

_Her turn._

The soap found his chest and abs, while her lips found his.

After they’d thoroughly washed each other between kisses, she took a cupped hand with water to remove the suds from his body. She did this over and over again until all the remains of the soap were gone, leaving nothing but glistening skin.

Octavia sat back and dunk herself into the water again to remove the suds from her hair.

Then, she started to get up and out of the tub, but Lincoln stopped her.

“Wait.”

She frowned as Lincoln got out of the tub and walked to the bed. She braced herself on the edges of the tub and stood up, naked and soaking wet.

He returned with a cloth towel.

Before she could wonder what he was doing with it, she noticed their height difference was in her favor. For once, she was taller than him, she thought bemused.

Lincoln placed the towel around her shoulders and wrapped it around her.

“I don’t want you to get cold.”

He wrapped his arms around her covered body, lifted her from the tub and carried her to the bed.

She gave a small shriek.

“What are you doing?” she asked. “You’re still hurt.”

Her hands were confined inside the towel with the rest of her body, she couldn’t get out of his grip.

“So are you,” he answered. “Speaking of which…”

Lincoln had asked Luna to give them some bandages and cleaning solution. He laid Octavia on the bed and went to get the supplies he needed.

“You have a wound that needs tending.”

While his concern over her was touching, it irked her a little too.

“Have you tended to yours?” she demanded.

“I’ll get to it. You first.”

She would make sure he did, even if she had to do it herself. But first, she’d let him care for her.

Lincoln pulled up the towel to reveal her right leg, where she’d been injured by a poisoned arrow, removed the old make-shift bandaged and carefully cleaning the wound. Octavia let herself fall on the bed and closed her eyes, trying her best not to wince. He placed the new strip of cloth and rebandaged her leg.

“All done,” he announced when he was finished. “The wound is healing well.”

“Okay,” she told him, rising and sitting up on the bed. She patted the spot beside her. “Now you.”

Lincoln sighed and sat on the bed.

Most of the cuts that had been inflicted on him were a bit shallow. The grounders didn’t want their torture victim to die from blood loss just in the beginning of the vile execution of a thousand cuts. Still, they needed tending. Octavia dipped a piece of cloth into the solution and cleaned his wounds.

The biggest one, and the one she deemed most problematic for now, was the one on his left arm. The cut was big and she could see blood gathering just above the surface. She cleaned it well and decided to put a bandage on it, just in case.

When she was done, she passed a hand over the cloth.

While Octavia was mostly relieved that he’d survived what his people had put him through, a part of her burned with rage. He’d gone into the village knowing there was a very high change of getting caught, tortured and executed by his own kin. He’d sacrificed himself, just to safe her. All just to give her the antidote to the poison... _Idiot_.

“Don't you ever do that again,” she practically growled.

The sudden statement took Lincoln by surprise. He could see the hurt and anger in her eyes.

He touched her face until she looked at him.

Lincoln wiped away the tear that fell onto her cheek.

“I promise.”

Then, he leaned down and kissed her with a gentleness that shook her to the core.

The kiss grew deeper, hotter.

Octavia got rid of the towel, wrapped her healing leg over his hip and pulled him down to the bed with her.

** *** **

There was a knock on the door.

They were still in bed, cuddling under the furs. Lincoln covered Octavia and held the her closed before calling out, “ _Min yu op_ ***7** _._ ”

The door opened and a young girl with light brown skin entered tentatively.

Knowing their newest guest wasn’t fluent in their language, Shay decided to speak in the common tongue.

“Excuse me. Luna has invited you both to join the clan for dinner in the main hall.”

Lincoln nodded in response. “We will. Thank you, Shay.”

Thankfully for everyone, besides the healing supplies and the towels, Luna had also provided them with fresh clothes.

Octavia put on her new clothes – a dark-green long-sleeved shirt with wholes cut into the side of the sleeves and pair of black jeans with few metallic pieces on them. Fidgety, she brushed her long damp hair.

She was a little more than nervous, knowing she was going to stick out like a sore thumb among the grounders. Lincoln could see it as she fiddled with the clothes nervously in front of the large mirror.

“Come here.”

She looked back at him through the mirror as he motioned toward one of the chairs. She frowned but went to him and sat down.

Lincoln took a strand of her hair and began to braid it.

He knew Octavia loved wearing braids – since they’d met, she’d always had a few random braids cascading down her long straight hair – and most grounders with long hair wore stylish hairstyles with braids in them, so hopefully this would make her feel more at home.

When he was done, she looked at herself in the mirror again.

He’d made a couple of braids on each side of her head, connecting in the back to create a larger fishtail one. Then, she noted she had a couple of loose braids falling down her hair.

_Holy crap!_

She looked like a grounder.

He put his hands lightly on her shoulder, leaned his head against hers as they look at each other through the mirror.

“Ready?” he asked.

Octavia nodded. “Ready.”

Lincoln took her hand and lead the way to the main hall.

As soon as they entered the room, everything stopped. Everyone stared at her. The people of Floukru were amazed by her, which honestly took Octavia by surprise. She knew she was the stranger here, the foreigner. But still… she didn’t expect this much commotion on her account.

The few hours they’d been at the rig were enough for gossip to start among Luna’s people. By the end of the day, everyone knew about their new guest and where she had come from.

Lincoln and Octavia found a spot to seat next to a metallic pillar. There were soft and brightly colored pillows on the floor. They sat. Next to them, was who she recognized as Shay, the girl who’d called for them.

Across the room, Luna nodded at them and held up her cup in greeting. They nodded back in acknowledgement. Beside Luna, sat a tall man with dark hair flowing to his shoulders. They looked to be close, _very_ close. He whispered something in her ear and laughed and blushed.

_So that must be Derrick._

Shortly before coming here, Lincoln had given her a brief lesson on who everybody that he knew was. Of course, Luna had taken in more people since the last time he’d been here, but at least it gave Octavia some notion of who was who.

On Luna’s other side, sat a little girl. She must have been about nine years-old. She said something to Luna, looking lovingly at her, and Luna gave her a long embrace.

 _Adria_ , Octavia thought, proud of herself for remembering the names.

The little girl asked Luna something. Luna nodded and before Octavia could prepare herself, Adria ran over to her and Lincoln.

She stopped right in front of them, staring at Octavia shyly.

“Did you really come from the sky?” Adria asked in a low voice.

Octavia nodded. “Uh, yeah. I did.”

Before the girl could ask any more questions, Lincoln said something to her in their native language. The little girl giggled and scurried away. Shay just laughed and bowed her head, amused.

Octavia frowned. _What the hell had just happened?_

“What did you tell her?” she asked Lincoln.

“I told her you were an angel,” he said with a devilish smirk right before he kissed her.

** *** **

A couple of days after they’d arrived at Luna’s rig, Octavia felt… unsettled.

It had nothing to do with the place or its people. She loved both and would happily stay here. She had been trying her best to just let go of the past and settle down. Except…

 _Bellamy_.

She couldn’t stand not knowing for sure if her brother had survived the battle or not.

She and Lincoln were lying in bed, his arms wrapped around her as the early morning light shone through the window. Lincoln was still asleep, while she had barely gotten any sleep. Now, there she lay, wide awake, staring off at nothing…

“Hey.”

Lincoln’s gruff sleepy voice startled her and pulled her out of her reverie.

“Hey,” she replied, trying her best to smile.

He held his head on his hand and kissed her cheek, like he did every morning. Octavia made an effort to make everything seem okay, but Lincoln knew her too damn well.

“What’s wrong?”

Her attempt at a smile fell.

“I want to go back,” she said.

Lincoln was taken aback.

“What? What are you talking about?”

“I _have_ to.” Octavia moved so she lay on her back. She looked up at him. “He could have made it. If there’s a chance…” She couldn’t go on.

Lincoln didn’t have to ask who she was talking about. Her brother. Bellamy was her only remaining family and he’d stayed behind to fend off the enemy so she could have a chance to get away from the battlefield.

“I have to know,” she stated, tears filling her eyes. “I can’t _not_ know.”

Lincoln nodded, pensive.

“Okay. I’ll go. I’ll find him and–”

“No!” she exclaimed, sitting up. “If they catch you again...”

He sat up, too.

“They won’t.”

Octavia closed her eyes and sighed.

“Look,” Lincoln began. “I made you a promise. Right?”

She nodded. “Okay. You go, but I’m coming with you. We do this together.”

“That’s a bad idea. You’re still injured. You would only slow me down.” He faced her glare with an amused expression. “No offense.”

Octavia hated the plan, but she knew he was right. A warrior needed to be quick on their feet, and she would only be a burden to him.

Still, she feared for their safety. If Trikru found him, they’d probably kill him on sight. She shuddered at the thought.

That same morning, Lincoln was ready to leave. He only carried his bag with a few necessary supplies.

“I’ll go to your camp first. If he’s not there, I’ll search around the nearby woods, follow his tracks.” He looked at her and promised, “If he’s out there, I’ll find him.”

She nodded, still wishing she could go with him. “Thank you.”

“Thank me when I get back,” he said with a grin and kissed her. “Stay here. Stay safe. I’ll be back soon.”

Lincoln kissed her again before he turned to walk away.

She watched him leave with a heavy heart.

 

_To be continued…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Trigedasleng Translations:**  
>  ***1** “Lincoln.”  
>  ***2** “Welcome back, my friend.”  
>  ***3** “We’re together.”  
>  ***4** “She’s my beloved.”  
>  ***5** “Alright.”  
>  ***6** “Thank you.”  
>  ***7** “Enter.”  
>   
>  **A/N:** I'm not completly sure that these are 100% correct. I hope they are. If they're not, I apologize.  
>  Also, what did you think about new take on the story? Is Lincoln going to find Bellamy? Is he gonna make it back? Find out on Part II, which is coming soon.


	2. Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The journey continues. Lincoln searches for Bellamy. Meanwhile, at the Rig, Octavia makes a surprising discovery.

Eleven days.

Eleven _freaking_ days.

That’s how long it had been since Lincoln had left to search for her brother. Octavia tried to remain calm and tell herself that if he was taking this long, maybe it was because he’d either found him or found clues that lead to him. She tried to not go into panic territory and fear he might have been caught by Trikru again…

In these dreadful eleven days without him, Octavia had discovered that, even in safety, she had a very hard time sleeping without his arms around her.

At first, the people there had stared at her like she was an alien. Which, she supposed, she was. But ultimately, Luna and the people at the Rig had taken her in and made her feel welcome, no further questions asked, which she appreciated.

Despite all this, without Lincoln, she felt very much alone.

And as the days went on with no news, she began to despair.

_Where are you?_

** *** **

There had been no sign of Bellamy or the others at the Sky People’s campsite. The place was completely vacant. When the search there had proven fruitless, Lincoln had decided to look around the camp and follow the tracks.

He was moving carefully through the woods, following the tracks left behind by heavy footsteps that could only be Skaikru’s, when he heard the shouts and the gunfire.

Lincoln followed the sounds to a nearby cliff.

Hiding strategically in the woods, he found Sky People in trouble. Finn and two others he recognized from the camp pulling on a makeshift rope and fighting off an attack from Trikru’s arrows.

He had to help them.

Then, he heard Bellamy’s gruff voice from the other side. He was hanging from the cliff.

_Damn it!_

He had to act. _Fast_.

Lincoln took his foghorn from his bag and blew it, signaling to the others that there was deadly acid fog coming their way. As expected, his people ran for cover, leaving Skaikru behind.

Finn and the two others pulled the rope up with all their might. Bellamy and a girl he didn’t recognize emerged from the cliff’s edge.

Lincoln descended from his hidden spot and walked to them.

“We have to take cover from the fog,” Finn said.

Bellamy nodded in agreement. Then, he heard a deep voice coming from the woods.

“Bellamy.”

He looked up to find Lincoln walking toward them, holding a horn. It became clear to him then. Lincoln had blown it to scare his people away, saving their lives.

“No, we don’t,” he told the others.

He frowned as he gazed around, looking for Octavia. He expected her to show up behind Lincoln, but his sister was nowhere to be found.

Lincoln was alone.

_That grounder son of a bitch!_

He'd trusted him with her life and she was gone.

Fuming with rage, Bellamy exploded. He got up and charged toward Lincoln.

“Where the _hell_ is my sister?”

Bellamy pushed Lincoln violently. Lincoln simply pushed him off, glaring. They had no time for this. His people would return sooner rather than later.

“Octavia’s fine. We made it to safety,” Lincoln explained. “She's worried about you, so I came looking.”

Bellamy let out a sigh of relief. “She’s okay?”

“She’s okay,” Lincoln confirmed. “I promised her I’d take you to her.”

Bellamy glanced back at his friends.

Mel was weak and injured, and Monroe had a arrow stuck in her leg.

Lincoln looked over at the girl with the braided hair and saw the arrow. He immediately thought of Octavia’s poisoned arrow.

He hurried toward the girl with a frown, helped her up and onto a nearby piece of hard debris from the Ark. They didn’t have time to cauterize the wound with a heated blade, but the arrow needed to come out. Especially since there was a chance that it was poisoned.

He put a hand around the arrow and looked at Monroe.

She nodded, preparing herself.

“One, Two…”

Lincoln yanked the arrow from the girl’s flesh. He licked the tip of the weapon, just in case.

He shook his head.

“It’s not poisoned. That’s good news,” he said. Lincoln turned to the others. “But you need to take her back to your camp as soon as possible.”

He took a piece of cloth and wrapped it tightly around Monroe’s leg.

“Murphy!” Bellamy called out. “You and Finn take Monroe and Mel back to camp. I’ll get there as soon as I can.”

“Come on, Bellamy,” Murphy pleaded. “You know that if I go back there, they’ll just lock me up again.”

“I know. And I’m sorry about that,” he replied sympathetically. “But, right now, we need you. _They_ need you.”

Bellamy gave Murphy his machine gun.

“Watch each other’s back,” he ordered Murphy and Finn. Bellamy nodded toward the girls. “Take care of them and get them home.”

Finn wanted to protest as well. They were out here for a reason, they still had to find their friends. They still had to find Clarke. But looking at Monroe’s and Mel’s conditions, he knew the search would have to wait a while longer.

So he took Mel’s good arm and held her up, while Murphy helped Monroe up and put one of her arms around his neck, lifting her up and helping her walk. ***A/N 1**

Bellamy watched his friends walk away.

Then, he turned back to Lincoln.

“Lead the way.”

** *** **

The days went on… and nothing.

Lincoln hadn’t returned yet, with or without Bellamy.

It had now been almost four full weeks since he’d left and nothing… She was beginning to fear the worst, while still trying to hold on to hope.

To distract herself, she scanned Lincoln’s sketchbook over and over again.

When that didn’t work, she closed the book.

_Ugh!_

Octavia needed to get out of this room or she was going to go crazy.

She got up from the bed with a groan. Her body felt heavy and bone-tired.

_What the hell?_

She supposed she’d been spending a lot of time in bed. Maybe that was what had caused the tiredness. While the fatigue was almost a constant state for her, sleep was still like a stranger.

Needing to space out and distract herself further, Octavia went to the main hall.

Derrick stood by one of the big grillers, turning trouts, teaching Adria how to properly grill the fish.

The smell of the food reached Octavia and she almost gagged. It wasn’t that she didn’t like fish. She did. But, lately, just the smell of it could send her retching.

She felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned and saw Shay’s concerned look.

“Are you okay?” the other girl asked.

Octavia tried to smile. “Uh, yeah. I’m good. Just a little–” she shook her head, clutching her stomach. “I’ll be okay.”

Out of the damn blue, a nearby woman who was overhearing their interaction reached out and touched one of Octavia’s breasts.

Octavia winced and pushed her hand away.

“Hey! Excuse me!”

“Sore?”

Octavia rubbed her aching breast. “Yeah. Now that you mention it, they kind of are.”

The woman looked at her, pensive.

“When was the last time you bled?”

“Uh…” Octavia hadn’t been exactly keeping score of her periods, but she knew it had been a long time since the last one.

“Pardon Faye,” Shay told Octavia apologetically, embarrassed by the other woman’s behavior. “She’s our midwife.”

Octavia frowned.

“Midwife?” she scoffed “Wait, wait, wait… You’re not saying you think I’m…”

She looked down at her stomach.

“I’m sorry for being so forthcoming,” Faye said. “But I’ve been noticing some signs. You’ve been tired, sick... and the last time you bled?”

“It’s been a while, I guess.”

Faye smiled knowingly.

_Holy shit!_

She was pregnant.

** *** **

A day after receiving the news, Octavia was still reeling.

There was a little life inside of her. A life she and Lincoln had made.

She had no idea how he would take the news. Or when he would return…

Octavia sat in a corner in the main hall, looking through Lincoln’s book again, now imagining the drawing he would make of a little baby, _their_ baby, when she felt a hand on her arm. She looked up to find Luna.

“Lincoln’s back,” Luna said. Then, she smiled. “And he’s not alone.”

Octavia’s eyes widened. “Where?”

Luna nodded in the direction of their bedroom and Octavia ran.

As soon as she opened the door, she saw him.

Octavia rushed up to meet Lincoln in a fierce hug.

“Are you okay? I was so worried about you.”

They pulled apart.

“I’m fine,” he reassured her. Then, he nodded toward the bed, where Bellamy lay, unconscious. “So is he.”

She gasped. “Oh my God.”

Octavia hurried to her brother and sat on the bed beside him.

His face was covered with bruises and cuts.

She passed a hand lightly on his cheek.

“Oh God, Bell...” Octavia whispered.

“He's okay,” Lincoln told her. “He should wake up soon.”

“The drug?” she asked.

Lincoln nodded.

Bellamy had been given the same liquid that she’d taken, knocking him out so he wouldn’t know the exact location of Floukru’s Rig.

“Yeah, I figured.”

She got up and walked back to Lincoln, holding onto him again.

“Thank you.”

He held her tightly and kissed her head.

“You got it.”

Then, something occurred to her.

Bellamy was still unconscious. Octavia supposed she should take this opportunity to break the news to Lincoln.

She slowly pulled back, keeping her arms around him, looking into his gorgeous brown eyes.

_God, I hope the baby has your eyes._

“There’s actually something I wanted to talk to you about…” she began.

He nodded. “Okay.”

“I, hum…” She wasn’t sure how to tell him. “I’ve been kind of sick lately.”

Lincoln was startled. “You’re sick? What’s wro–”

“No, no. I’m not sick. I’ve _been_ sick. I’m okay right now.”

He sighed in relief. “Well, have you seen the healer? What did he say?”

“No. I actually talked to Faye.”

“Faye? But isn’t that–”

“She’s the midwife, yeah,” she confirmed. “She was the one who put the pieces together and figured it out, actually…”

Octavia could see that, by the look on Lincoln’s face, he was starting to figure it out too.

“I’m pregnant,” she finally announced.

Lincoln stared at her for what seemed like hours.

She frowned.

Whatever response she’d expected from him, this had not been it.

“Say something,” Octavia demanded from him.

Lincoln surprised her by bursting out laughing and kissing her intensely.

Then, he picked her up and spinned her around in a circle. She gave a little startled shriek and stopped him before she barfed again.

He set her down on the ground and lowered his brow to hers, joy and wonderment in his eyes.

“We’re having a baby?” he asked.

“Yeah. We’re having a baby.”

They smiled brightly at each other and kissed passionately.

Bellamy made a sound from the bed.

Octavia looked over at his resting form and saw his hand flickering slightly.

“I think he's coming to,” she said.

“I’ll get some healing ointment for him,” Lincoln offered.

“Thank you.”

He kissed her again and left the room.

She moved back to her brother’s side.

Bellamy was struggling to break through the haziness, when he heard a familiar voice say, “Hey, big brother.”

_Octavia..._

He opened his eyes with some effort and saw the greatest thing ever – his sister. He gave her a huge smile.

“Octavia.”

She smiled back at him and tried to hold back the tears that threatened to flood with all this emotion.

Bellamy sat up and put his arms around her. 

“Thank God you’re okay,” he said.

 “Yeah, tell me about it,” Octavia answered. After a tight but brief hug, she pulled back. “I was worried about you.”

“I know. Lincoln told me.” He looked at his surroundings. “Where am I?”

“Our room. Mine and Lincoln’s,” she explained to him with a smile. “We’re at an old Oil Rig, HQ of the Boat People. They welcomed us with open arms.”

“Lincoln?”

“He went to get some ointment for your wounds,” Octavia told him. She paused before going on, “He risked his life for you, you know?”

Bellamy shook his head.

“We both know he did it for you.”

“Still,” she pressed. “he did it.”

He moved, swinging his leg over the bed’s ledge so his feet hit the floor and he sat beside Octavia.

“It’s way passed time you accept that he’s a good man, Bell,” she went on, when he didn’t respond.

Her brother remained silent, deep in thought. He wanted to trust Lincoln, to like him even, but his distrust of grounders in general was still there…

“I need this to work, Bellamy. I need him. I lo–” she stopped herself, but ended up finishing the thought, “I love him.”

Bellamy gazed at his little sister, deep into her eyes and saw the truth of it.

“Please,” she said.

Bellamy took her hand and nodded.

She smiled at him.

They were finally making some progress.

It was a start.

_Baby steps and all, right?_

The thought of babies, reminded her of the one growing inside her.

He was just now accepting Lincoln and her relationship with him. Octavia would wait a little bit longer before telling him about the baby.

** *** **

That night, they had dinner with the Floukru grounders.

Octavia sat on Lincoln’s lap, holding a wooden bowl in her hands. She took turns nibbling on some berries – she was trying to avoid the fish at all cost – and feeding them to Lincoln between kisses.

Bellamy stared at them fondly.

They were the very image of love.

He’d considered when the best moment to bring her up to speed on everything that had happened since the battle with the grounders. But seeing how perfectly happy she was, he kept his mouth shut. At least, for now.

He was one hundred percent right about something.

Octavia was happy.

For the first in a long time, she felt at home.

Her brother was here, her love was here, she had a little life of the way, Luna and her people had welcomed them with open arms…

They were all together and safe.

Octavia looked around and couldn’t help but smiled at what she saw.

A _family_.

Lincoln’s hand wandered to her belly. Their eyes sparkled with joy.

Their little family was about to grow.

She’d warned Lincoln that she hadn’t told Bellamy yet. This was their little secret, for now.

Well, their little “secret” that at least Faye, Shay and Luna already knew about.

_Not so secret, after all._

She would tell him tomorrow, Octavia decided.

Right now, she would just enjoy her family.

** *** **

Bellamy had been with the Boat People for almost a week.

He was reluctant to leave, because he knew his sister wouldn’t come back with him. She would want to stay with Lincoln, in peace. As she should. He wanted her to be happy, to be loved.

Still, Bellamy felt uneasy around the grounders.

He didn’t like the idea of leaving Octavia here but the outside world was so unsafe and unpredictable right now and at the Rig, at least, she had Lincoln, whom he knew would protect her.

There was a knock on his bedroom door.

Octavia entered, a huge grin on her lips.

“Hey, big brother.”

She’d come to tell him her much delayed news. Instead, she saw him packing a small bag with his few belongings and some on-the-go food.

Her smile faded.

“Are you going back already?”

She knew he would return to the Sky People eventually. She had just hoped he would stay for a little while longer.

Bellamy felt bad, but he nodded and continued his task.

“Yeah,” he confirmed. “I haven’t told you everything yet.”

Octavia crossed her arms, a deep frown on her face.

“Tell me now.”

And so he did. He told her everything that had happened after the battle, after Lincoln had taken her away from it.

The Ark had crashed and was on the ground now. And, though there were a few casualties, most of their people had survived the crash landing. Kane was leading them in a camp they’d name Camp Jaha, and the Sky People and the Grounders were still at war, still trying to kill each other.

“We still have to find Clarke,” he finished. “And find a way to either make peace with the Grounders or beat them for good.”

There was silence for a minute.

“Part of me wants to go with you,” she confessed. “But… I can’t.”

Bellamy nodded. “Because of Lincoln.”

“No,” Octavia answered. “Well, not just.”

Her brother frowned, but waited for her to continue.

“I’m pregnant.”

Bellamy’s eyes widened with shock. He looked down at her stomach, almost as if he could see through her and see the baby.

“What?”

“Yeah. I’ve known for a while. I was coming to tell you now,” she said. Then, she shrugged and grinned. “Congratulations, Uncle Bellamy.”

Maybe it was the raging pregnancy hormones or maybe it was all the emotion surrounding them, but the tears came, filling her eyes. She closed her eyes, held herself and let herself weep.

“I hate this,” she sobbed.

The idea of raising her child in the middle of a war made her shudder, but the idea of letting her brother go back into a war while she stayed here in safety didn’t make her feel any damn better.

But what choice did she have? She wouldn’t have Lincoln go back to the mainland for fear he would get captured again, let alone have them go back, have her give birth and raise their child in the middle of a war…

Octavia wished she could put them all into a safety bubble and protect them forever. She wished she could end the war and have her family all together.

“I know. Me, too,” Bellamy said, his own eyes filling with tears.

He couldn’t stay and she couldn’t leave.

She launched herself and him and held him tightly.

“You better visit,” she demanded.

“You’re damn right I will,” he said, hugging his sister just as fiercely.

Bellamy thanked his hosts, say a final goodbye to his sister and Lincoln and left later that day to return to Camp Jaha.

Later, Lincoln held Octavia as she wept for her family.

** *** **

A couple of days after Bellamy left, Octavia lay in bed, watching the sun set slowly.

In the past few hours, she’d been having a lot of morning sickness. Why people called it _morning_ sickness when the damn thing could hit you at all times of the day was beyond her… But besides the obvious physical discomfort, she was suffering from an even bigger malady. She was heartsick.

Lincoln got into the bed beside her. She turned to lay on her back to welcome him and nestle against his strong body.

He stared into her eyes and tried to evaluate her current status.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

Knowing he probably meant both because of the baby _and_ her absent brother, she nodded. “I’m better.”

They lay in silence for a minute.

“I don’t regret it, you know?” Octavia went on. Lincoln say nothing, he just let her continue. “I do wish he could be here, especially with the baby coming.”

“But?”

“But… I know he had to go and there is _no way in hell_ we’re going back there.”

Lincoln placed a hand on her stomach. It wasn’t just them anymore. There was a little life growing inside of her, one he would not risk anymore than he would Octavia’s.

“No, you’re right about that.”

“Besides, we can make something good here. We can make a home.” She placed her hand over his, on her stomach. “The three of us.”

“The three of us,” Lincoln repeated. He nodded, grinning, his dimples appearing and his eyes glowing with wonderment.

They leaned toward each other and their lips touched in a lovely and soft kiss.

There wasn’t much point in dwelling on the past.

As for the future, whatever came at them, they would deal with it…

They were home.

 

 

_There's a short epilogue to this story coming soon...  ;)_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **A/N:**  
>   
>  **A/N*1** : Because there's no one left to take an injured Monroe and Mel home to Camp Jaha, Finn and Murphy do it. There they find Clarke and discover that the rest of the 100 are being held captive in Mount Weather. The massacre of TonDC never happens.  
> Lincoln doesn't become a reaper, so no coming back and impressing Lexa. But the 18 people in TonDC are never massacred in the first place, so Lexa listens to Clarke about the Mountain Men, their common enemy. And they agree to fight together to save their people.  
> Because Finn doesn't die (at least, not right away), Clexa becomes canon much sooner.
> 
> \- Pike is never introduced to the story. He and the rest of Farm Station are butchered by Azgeda, with the exception of Bryan, who makes it home. In retaliation, Lexa captures Roan and tries to have him executed. His mother, Queen Nia of Azgeda, doesn't think Lexa's fit to be Commander, for making peace with Skaikru and giving Clarke a sit as their Ambassador (she also wants her own Nightblood, Ontari, to be the Commander), challenges Lexa to a one-on-one duel with Roan. Lexa kills Nia instead of Roan. Lexa brings justice and continued peace with the Skaikru, by delivering Nia's body to their camp.
> 
> * * *
> 
> By the way, YEP! I'm straight-up ignoring the whole City of Light/Alie, Pike and all its consequential idiocy...  
> 


	3. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bellamy returns to visit and brings some news. Don't miss the conclusion to _What Could Have Been_! ;)

Three months had passed since Bellamy had been there at Floukru and since he’d left to fight in the on-going war between the Sky People and the Grounders. There had been no word of him since then.

Meanwhile, life at the Rig went on.

Octavia was now about four months pregnant. Her belly was already pretty damn big and growing exponentially.

She was fixing the braids in her hair and getting ready for the day, when Lincoln entered their room, a huge grin on his face.

Seeing her, he completely forgot his messaging mission for a minute. Every day that went by, watching the life inside of her grow, was like a miracle to him. He saw the tattoo on her right arm, remembering her fails attempts of learning to speak Trigedasleng before getting it right and become almost fluent in the short time they’d been here.

He fell deeper in love with her all the time, which he'd thought impossible.

Lincoln leaned back against the door and smiled down at her stomach.

She frowned at him through the mirror’s reflection.

“What?” she asked.

Lincoln snapped back to reality and looked at her, the grin never leaving his face. He delivered his message.

“You have a visitor,” he told her.

Octavia turned to him so fast she saw double for a quick second.

“Bellamy?”

Lincoln nodded.

She closed her eyes and laughed in relief.

She pulled on her wool long sleeved shirt on and dashed. Getting up from her seat, she walked to him.

 _How? When?_ A million questions ran through her head. She settled on, “Where?”

“He just got here. They’re bringing him up now.”

** *** **

Just like in his previous visit, the Floukru grounders had brought unconscious Bellamy to Octavia and Lincoln’s room, and laid him down on the bed.

Once he came to and woke up from the drug’s effects, Bellamy was greeted by his sister herself… and her belly.

He gawked at the size of her protruding stomach.

“I wasn’t gone that long, was I?” he joked.

Octavia laughed and put a hand on her belly bump. While it was a normal sized belly for four months as Faye had assured her in one of their check-up meetings, it probably didn’t help that the she was an average sized, skinny girl with relatively small breasts and a growing being inside of her.

“Yeah, I guess I grew a little bit.”

“How are you?” Bellamy asked.

_Her? Was he nuts? He was the one in the middle of a war zone._

“I’m fine. How are _you_?”

“I’m good. I have some news,” he said, looking over at Lincoln.

“Okay…” she said cautiously.

So he told them. He told them about the peace treaty Clarke had made with the Commander to beat their common enemy, the Mountain Men, about Azgeda’s attack on the Farm Station and how the Commander had retaliated by killing their Queen and delivering her body to the Sky People’s camp, bringing them justice and continued peace.

When he was done, both Octavia and Lincoln were stunned speechless.

“I was kind of hoping you’d reconsider coming back,” he told his sister, a gleam of hope in his dark brown eyes.

Octavia’s mind was sent reeling for a moment. Part of her wanted to say _Hell YES!_ and go back with brother, but another side of her wanted to stay. She felt herself being pulled left and right – between wanting to stay and wanting to leave.

She felt at home with the Boat People. She was more grounder than anything else – she’d gotten a tattoo, she was in love with their lifestyle and culture, and she was even becoming fluent in the grounder’s native language with Lincoln and Shay as her coaches…

One the other hand, she would love to go back her brother and their friends.

Despite all this, there was one very pressing question in her mind.

Her frown turned into a dead look on her face.

“Has the Commander forgiven Lincoln?”

Bellamy is taken aback for a moment.

“O…” he began.

“Yes or no?” she pressed, though she had a feeling she already knew the unfortunate answer.

He shook his head sadly. “No.” Then, he hurried to explain, “At least, not yet. We could still persuade her to lift the kill order and issue a pardon.”

Octavia tried to make some sense of the situation they were in. While she felt conflicted, there was one very clear thing in her mind. Bellamy wanted her brother around. Even if just for a little bit.

“Give me a couple of days to figure it out. Please.”

Bellamy nodded. “You got it.”

“Thank you,” she murmured.

He understood her, even if it made him undeniably sad.

“I figured that might be the case, so…” Bellamy reached for his backpack and took out a radio. “I brought you guys something.”

“Oh, but it’s not even my birthday…” Octavia teased half-heartedly as she accepted the radio.

“So we can keep in touch. Just in case you choose to stay.”

“Thank you,” she repeated. “And thank you for understanding.”

He took her hand and smiled.

“Always.”

** *** **

Just as promised, Bellamy had stayed for a couple of days, giving her the time she needed to figure out what she wanted to do.

In her mental anguish, Octavia had asked for Lincoln’s opinion.

“This should be your decision,” he’d told her calmly. “I can handle whatever comes.”

“I can’t,” she had replied sharply. “Not if involves you getting caught again and executed.”

After extensive deliberation on the matter for hours on end, Octavia had ultimately reached a decision. They were staying.

For one, Lincoln still hadn’t been forgiven by the Commander and the second he was found by his people, they would have him executed. And secondly, she didn’t want to live with the Sky People again, much less raise her child amongst them. No matter how much things had changed since the Ark, she knew Skaikru would never truly change.

Octavia decided to break the news to them that night. She called for a family meeting in her and Lincoln’s room.

When Bellamy entered the room, he went straight to the point.

“Have you made up your mind?”

She nodded.

The three of them sat around the table.

“Well, don’t keep us in suspense.”

Octavia took a deep breath before making the announcement.

“We’ll keep in touch through the radio,” she said. Bellamy’s last fleeting hope died flat. “And I promise I’ll visit with the baby as soon as I can.”

“But you’re staying,” he concluded, the disappointment bitter on his tongue.

“At least for now,” she confirmed. “I’m sorry. I wish I could tell you what you want to hear. You’re my family, Bell. And you will _always_ be my family.” Octavia tried to hold back the tears. “But I have another family now, too. And, right now, I have to put them first.”

It was a reality Bellamy knew he had to accept. Yet, something occurred to him, something that could change the game.

“What if something happens with the baby and you need medical help?” Bellamy insisted.

Lincoln’s thoughts stopped short. He hated to agree, but Bellamy did make a good point. Skaikru had more advanced medicine that could come in handy in case of an emergency. He was about to say so when Octavia spoke again.

“We have a very skilled midwife here. And if anything goes wrong… Which it won’t,” Octavia added fiercely, looking at both of them. “We’ll reach out through the radio. The doctors from the Ark can guide Faye.”

Bellamy nodded thoughtfully. “And you decision is final?”

“Yes, it is. For now.”

What had started as a lovely surprise visit from her brother ended on a bittersweet note... That afternoon, with her heart split in two once again, Octavia said goodbye to her brother for what seemed like the millionth time.

Before Bellamy left, the two siblings hugged, holding each other tightly.

“I love you, big brother,” Octavia told him.

He dropped a kiss on her head.

“I love you, too, O. And I’m holding you up on your promise of a visit. Even if you can’t visit, I’ll come here whenever I can,” Bellamy promised. He pulled away and touched Octavia’s belly. “I want to meet my niece or nephew.”

She gave a short laugh, a tear dropping down her cheek.

“You got it.”

Octavia watched Bellamy get on the container, a vial with the liquid drug on his hand.

Her heart broke at the sight, but she knew she was making the right decision. Things might be safe and peaceful for now, but who knew what the future would bring?

If anything happened back at the Sky People’s camp, she trusted Bellamy to let her know through the radio. But, for now, she had to look out for Lincoln and their baby. She had to take care of her family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **A/N:** This is it! What did you think? ♥
> 
> Btw, here's what a 4 month pregnancy belly looks like more or less:  
> 


End file.
